GREELEY — District Judge Marcel Kopcow sentenced Allen Andrade to life in prison without possibiilty of parole this afternoon for beating to death a transgendered woman in her Greeley apartment last July.

Andrade, 32, was convicted today of first-degree murder and bias crime for the death of Angie Zapata. He was accused of beating Zapata with his fists and a fire extinguisher after he learned that she was biologically male. Zapata was found dead in her apartment on July 17.

"Nobody wanted to be in this position," said Andrade's sister Christina Cruz. "We are very sorry this happened. My brother is human, we love him very much."

Although court officials advised people in the courtroom to be respectful after the verdict was read, a spectator gave jurors a thumbs-up and was admonished by a bailiff.

Members of Zapata's family began to cry as the verdict was read.

"I lost someone very precious," Zapata's mother Maria Zapata said after the sentencing. "I feel so, so alone."

Susan Matthews of the Gender Identity Center in Wheat Ridge followed much of the trial and was at the court today. As she observed, she said, she wondered whether a jury from a conservative place such as Greeley could deliver a bias-crime verdict.

"It was blatantly obvious this was a hate-motivated crime" she said, "and the jury saw that, and they came through."

Earlier today, prosecutor Robb Miller told jurors that Andrade was a homophobe bent on killing Zapata sometime after they met on an Internet dating site that catered to gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

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The two spent almost three days together — including at a traffic-court appearance for Zapata — before Andrade brutally attacked her. The two also constantly texted each other, so Angie's biological status was never in question, Miller said.

Andrade allegedly cleaned up the crime scene, stole Zapata's purses and drove around in the car used by Zapata for two weeks before he was arrested, said Miller.

Andrade's phone calls from jail, which were played in court, showed his contempt for gays and Zapata, Miller said, pointing to one statement he made to a girlfriend: "Someone living like that needs to be held accountable."

"The only time he showed any emotion is when he was talking about homosexuals," Miller said. "He even has the audacity to say he wants to sell his story to the press for $55,000."

But defense attorney Annette Kundelius argued that Andrade should be found guilty only of manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide. That's because Andrade reacted violently to Zapata's deceit and did not plan her death, Kundelius said.

"There is no evidence he acted knowingly; he just reacted," she said.

There was no direct proof Andrade spent all that much time with Zapata, who delayed going back to her apartment the night she was killed because she didn't want to reveal her secret to Andrade, Kundelius said.

"There was more of a chance Allen would figure out who he really was," she said.

During the trial, Kundelius constantly referred to Zapata as Justin, which was Angie's name given at birth.

"Justin deceived a lot of people," Kundelius said. "And this case is about that deception."

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